Wildborn
by Triade
Summary: The four mages of the Winding Circle find themselves on yet another adventure as a mysterious plague rages in the east and the demon Ghost Eyes hunts towns and villages. Eventual BriarxOC.
1. War: Prologue

_ It had always been this way._

_ The only life was one of roaming, searching for better pasture and better hunting. It was seeking out new smells and tracking prey across miles of deep forest and frozen tundra. It was the smells of leaf litter, dew and rain on the wind. The sound of howls and roars and the thunder of hooves on hard-packed soil. The feel of the steady beat of the earth under paw and the wind through fur._

_ This was her life. And it was under attack. The humans encroached upon her borders with their torches, spears and swords seeking only to kill her allies and destroy her world. They knew no mercy, clubbing the innocent young lives of cubs and pups and slaying the parents who sought to defend them. They burned her home and drove her friends deeper into woods that held less food and less water. Then the humans would build their cities that reeked of filth and smoke and hunt her prey until all the food was driven from the forest. _

_ She had enough. For too long had she hid in the ancient groves, seeking to forget the transgression of humans and what they had done to her and her kind. It was long past time to drive the humans from the land that was rightfully hers! _

_ In the dead of night – as all creatures knew humans were near-blind in the dark – she and her friends struck deep into the heart of a village. They attacked fast – with claws and teeth, hooves and kicks. She herself had led this band of forest-dwellers and together they destroyed food stores, buildings and released those held captive. Those humans who drew blades found themselves prey. And as quickly as she came, she vanished into the night, leaving destruction in her wake. _

_ Again and again, she drove the humans away from their lands until the fear-stench of man lay thickly over the valley and beyond. Whispers were exchanged. They called her a demon and stronger and stronger warriors set out to find her. She drove them away too for she would never be defeated until her world was safe. _

_ Ghost Eyes, they called her, for her eyes bright in the darkness would disappear just as quickly. So great her ferocity became that man began appealing to their lords for help. 'Ghost Eyes', the demon who hunted the woods, would never end this war until every last human was gone from her lands! _


	2. One: Ghost Eyes

To the west, on the shores of the Pebbled Sea, the port of Summersea was bustling with activity. It was a fairly normal afternoon filled with the sound of traders and the sun of Wort Moon and such fine weather deserved a ride. Such as it was that a group of five people – an older man and four young ones – and their guard found themselves on the streets.

And it was also on this fine day that a pair of terrified men had arrived in the city to plea with their ruler for help. They clustered to the edge of the street, ragged and hungry and spoke in clipped rushed voices.

"We have no other choice! It's tearing apart all our grain-"

"It killed five people last month-"

So absorbed in their argument they did not notice the group of people and their escort halt before them. One young woman sat up straighter on her horse, her blue eyes interested as she waved a hand to stop a guard from ordering them to move. Brown hair that had strands of sun-lightened hairs was carefully pinned up under a veil. Her dress was of expensive muslin and for such a hot day, looked immaculate. Lady Sandraline fa Toren turned to her uncle, having caught the snatches of conversation about the deaths, with a puzzled expression. Her uncle appeared to have heard the snatches of conversation as well. He was a tall man, dressed more simply than any other noble but for the gold as his finger and ear. Duke Vedris frowned and urged his horse forward.

Another young woman with fiery red hair, braided and coiled under a veil looked up from a book. Her plump face was reddened from the sun and a pair of horned spectacles flashed in the light. Gray eye hardened slightly as she glanced in the farmer's direction as well. Sandraline – or Sandry – nudged her horse closer to the red-headed Tris to hear better.

"What is this about five people killed?" Duke Vedris said his voice stern but gentle.

The pair of farmers looked up; looking decidedly displeased someone had interrupted their conversation before realizing this was an important man speaking to them. Noticing the crest on the guards' mail, they both bowed low. A tall dark youth joined to the other two girls having heard the Duke speak. She was much taller than the other two and bore a brass topped staff - the mark of a Trader. Together they all listened to the farmers speak with interest.

"My lord, it's terrible." One started. He was obviously badly frightened, his hands trembled as he spoke and he looked as if he could use a good night's sleep. "There been so many attacks, we don't know who to turn to anymore-"

"The stores have been destroyed-" The other farmer broke in, his voice sharp and rapid with panic. They began to talk over each other in their haste to explain and it soon became too difficult to understand either of them.

Duke Vedris glanced at his niece, holding a hand up to silence both of them.

"These men are obviously overwhelmed. Do you have anything for them?" He asked her. Sandry looked around and when she didn't spot who she was looking for, her brow knitted together.

_Briar! _All three girls instantly called - two irritably and the third exasperated. Instead of speaking out loud, the call was sent through the thread of magic that connected them all together. Which meant he would hear it – their connections had been stronger than ever since the disastrous trip to Namorn.

The three girls heard a small curse from his side, feeling his own irritation. Sandry rolled her eyes. He had probably been flirting with another poor shop girl. It wouldn't be the first and certainly not the last time.

_Hurry it up. Someone has to calm these babbling idiots down. _Tris snapped crossly as the Duke patiently tried to persuade both farmers to return with them to the hold. They were starting to draw an anxious crowd of passerby. The people parted as the arrival of another youth on horseback joined the noble party. He was tall with tanned skin and a thin bladed nose. His eyes, a gray green, and dark hair pointed to a mixed heritage. Briar Moss took one look at the farmers and pulled a small vial out of a saddlebag. He instructed the farmers to take whiff of whatever was in it and they immediately calmed enough to be corralled back up the road.

The four young people rode slightly behind as the Duke slowed their pace to match with the farmers. Whatever the pair had been though, it had taken its toll and could only manage a slow walk.

_What do you think terrified them so badly?_ Daja asked her foster-siblings.

_Bandits maybe? _Briar suggested, considering there were a good few of them the farther you got from the cities.

_Bandits would have taken the grain, not ripped it apart. _Tris said grimly. The other three agreed with her quietly. And would have killed all of the farmers as well, Daja thought to herself, thinking about the pirate attack on the Winding Circle years ago.

_Whatever it is, we're about to find out. _Sandry replied as they entered the main courtyard and dismounted. Several servants took their horses and Daja asked one to bring water and food for their charges.

"Now let's hear your tale. Slowly please." The Duke said as he gestured for the two men to sit on a bench. They did so gratefully. The servants brought out several chairs for the mages and the Duke as well as refreshments. The farmers ate as if they were starved and by the way their clothing hung off them, it was not far from the truth.

"We're here from the town of Evoisc." The sandy-haired farmer started.

_That's nearly a week's ride from here. Did they walk all this way? _Daja said, astonished.

_They must be desperate. _Tris answered.

Sandry hushed them.

"We had been doing well milord, the grain was comin' in ripe and the hunting was good. We've only had very few troubles wit' bandits and kind, we're all surrounded by forest. Hard to get to." He explained, looking troubled. If not for Briar's calming salts, they would have probably resorted to panicking again. "Couple o' months ago things started getting strange. Forest was real quiet – every person we sent out to go huntin' saw nothin. It was as if all the animals had disappeared!"

"We started gettin' word that the other towns started havin' animals missin. Horses, chickens, birds – eve'n them mutts! We thought maybes it would be bandits since they were arounds. Started posting guards to keep watch. Then things got real bad."

The second farmer took a deep breath as the first stared into his drink, done telling the story for now.

"Watch saw somethin' out in the woods so he shot it. Got it real good. And it howled like a bloody demon it did. Not animal but ain't human neither." He said shuddering. "An' then when it was all dark, all this noise broke out. All the cows were cryin' and the dogs set to howlin'. We knews something were wrong but couldn't see nothin even wit the torches and bonfires. Next morn come around and the grain stores have been all torn to pieces. All o' it bad now. It got poor Copper – slashed him up real good. Like a beast what wit attacked him. But all the animals was safe. If it were a beast what wit claws an all, why did it go for the grain?"

The four mages exchanged a glance and then kept listening. It was an odd tale. What beast would leave the cattle alive but attack the grain instead?

"We startin' gettin armed wit swords. Whoever could. Ever' night the animals would set to a right fright and we searched and searched but ain't seen nothin'. Every morn somethin' else would be broke or missin' or destroyed. We knews we couldn't stay like this for longs' gettin no sleep at night and everythin' bein attacked. So we decided to goes into the forest 'cause the beast come from there. It had too. We walked for a long while but saw nothin'. And I mean nothin. Not a bird or squirrel. Not even them birds. When the bushes' set to rustlin' we shot it. Killed a rabbit for the first time in weeks. But nothin' else in that woods but for trees."

The farmer set his jaw grimly, his hands shaking.

"That night be the worst. We saw it then, the creature what tore up Copper. The animals wen' and started stampedin'. We all tried to round em up but theys weren't listenin. Minds were half gone poor beasts. We turned to see what all the runnin were from and saw it. Blacker than night, big as a horse with claws long as knives. And demon eyes."

Both farmers made a symbol of protection over their chests. The first fellow looked about to collapse at any moment.

"We tried to stop it but it were like smoke. It'd be standin in one spot one moment and then just vanish, only to come back in another. And when it went an open' it's mouth, sounded right like screamin'. It were a massacre. Morn came and two were dead, the fences were a broken. 'Most all our animals was gone - run aways. We went to the beast hunter's after that."

"Did they manage to identify the creature?" Duke Vedris asked, looking quite calm although Sandry could tell he was a little disturbed by the story.

The farmers exchanged a glance.

"Those that come back alive – says it were a demon. Takin to callin it Ghost Eyes they did."

Tris looked at her siblings, her face doubtful.

"There are no such things as demons." She whispered hotly.

"Not anything real." Daja replied. All four knew what she meant instantly.

It had to be magic.


End file.
